Another
member from the States writes:
“I do
not think the influence of CMA has been any kind of 'watering down.'
[see here]
Such
language implies a 'pure' AA of olde tymes which has gone astray. You
fellas seem to grasp that that idea is an excuse for authoritarians
within AA.
I suspect
the 'court card' thing started at the suggestion of individual groups
in different places. In California (as far as I understand) courts
were allowed to require people to seek 'treatment' and since AA is
free, all their unwilling referrals tended to come to AA meetings.
Now many
treatment centers and employers give people 'get well cards' to bring
to meetings also. There is ONE local treatment center that not only
asks its inmates to get a card signed. They REQUIRE them to get a
sponsor. A sponsor who will agree to REPORT TO THE TREATMENT CENTER
if the inmate relapses!
I think
attendance at AA meetings by people who have outside authorities
breathing down the back of their neck, and coming out of treatment
centers that claim to be 12 Step, is a major source of cult
influence. These people are even more vulnerable than most newcomers,
AND the 'organized' cult meetings will court the favor and referrals
of such institutions.
AA should
not be subject to the 'non establishment' problems. The literature
has enough religious disclaimers. But in the US, aggressive
religiosity is a corrosive influence in AA. There are many parts of
the country where Evangelical Christianity, of the worst sort, has
effectively taken over local groups and intergroups.”
We
would be interested to hear from other AA members with regard to
their own experience and/or observations of the CMA ('chit') system
(good or bad). We can be contacted at our email address here.
Confidentiality assured
Cheers
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS
Our thanks to this member for their contribution to the debate
